Armadillos are used for propagation of Mycobacterium leprae and are hosts of mycobacteria of the ADM (armadillo-derived mycobacteria) group. The deoxyribonucleic acids (DNAs) of isolates of the five phenetic subgroups of the ADM were analyzed and compared with the genomes of related bacteria. The guanine-pluscytosine (G+C) contents of the DNAs were 62.2 to 67.1 mol% for different ADM strains, 56 mol% for M. leprae and LDC (leprosy-derived corynebacteria), and 62 to 71 mol% for reference mycobacteria. Restriction analysis showed neither adenine methylation in the GATC site (a specific trait of LDC strains) nor cytosine methylation in the CCGG and GGCC sites. Hybridization higher than 80% was obtained with DNA from isolates within the same ADM subgroups, whereas 17 to 50% hybridizations were observed with organisms from different ADM subgroups. Genomes of ADM strains and reference mycobacteria were 15 to 40% homologous, except for subgroups IV and V, whose DNAs were 54 to 62% homologous with Mycobacterium lepraemurium DNA. Little or no homology between M. leprae and ADM genomes was found. We concluded that single ADM subgroups can be considered as distinct species within the genus Mycobacterium; they are genetically unrelated to the other leprosy-associated bacteria.
Abou-ZeidC., VoilandA., MichelG., CocitoC.1982; Structure of the wall polysaccharide isolated from a group of corynebacteria. Eur. J. Biochem. 128:363–370
BaessI., MansaB.1978; Determination of genome size and base ratio on deoxyribonucleic acid from mycobacteria. Acta PdthoL Microbiol. Scand. Sect. B 86:309–312
BaessI., Weis BentzonM.1978; Deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization between different species of mycobacteria. Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Scand. Sect. B 86:71–76
BrownS., LaneelleM. A., AsselineauJ., BarksdaleL.1984; Description of Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum sp. nov., a leprosy-derived corynebacterium. Ann. Microbiol. 135B:251–267
CocitoC., DelvilleJ.1985; Biological, chemical, immunological and staining properties of bacteria isolated from tissues of leprosy patients. Eur. J. Epidemiol. 1:202–231
DanhaiveP., HoetP., CocitoC.1982; Base compositions and homologies of deoxyribonucleic acids of corynebacteria isolated from human leprosy lesions and of related microorganisms. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 32:70–76
De LeyJ.1969; Reexamination of the association between melting point, buoyant density, and chemical base composition of deoxyribonucleic acid. J. Bacteriol. 101:738–754
GaillyC., SandraP., VerzeleM., CocitoC.1982; Analysis of mycolic acids from a group of corynebacteria by capillary gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Eur. J. Biochem 125:83–94
ImaedaT., KirchheimerW. F., BarksdaleL.1981; DNA isolated from Mycobacterium leprae: genome size, base ratio, and homology with other related bacteria as determined by optical DNA/DNA reassociation. J. Bacteriol. 150:414–417
JanczuraE., Abou-ZeidC., GaillyC., CocitoC.1981; Chemical identification of some cell-wall components of microorganisms isolated from human leprosy lesions. Zentralbl. Bakteriol. Parasitenkd. Infektionskr. Hyg. Abt. 1 Orig. Reihe A 251:114–125
JanczuraE., Leyh-BouilleM., CocitoC., GhuysenJ. M.1981; Primary structure of the wall peptidoglycan of leprosy-derived corynebacteria. J. Bacteriol. 145:775–779
JenkinsP. A., PattynS. R., PortaelsF.1982 Diagnostic bacteriology. 441–447RatledgeC., StanfordJ. L.edBiology of the mycobacteria Academic Press, Inc.; New York:
KirchheimerW. F., StorrsE. E.1971; Attempts to establish the armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus, L.) as a model for the study of leprosy. I. Report of lepromatoid leprosy in an experimentally infected armadillo. Int. J. Lepr. 39:693–702
MinnikinD. E.1982 Lipids: complex lipids, their chemistry, biosynthesis and roles. 95–184RatledgeC., StanfordJ.edBiology of the mycobacteria1 Academic Press, Inc.; New York:
NakamuraM., ItohT., WakiC.1976; Isolation of a cultivable mycobacterium from an armadillo subcutaneous tissue infected with M. leprae and characterization of this isolated strain. Lepro 45:217–222
PortaelsF., DafféM., LanéelleM. A., AsselineauC.1984; Etude de la composition lipidique de mycobactéries cultivables isolées de foies de tatous infectés par Mycobacterium leprae. Ann. Microbiol. 135A:457–465
PortaelsF., PattynS. R.1982; Isolation of fastidiously growing mycobacteria from armadillo livers infected with Mycobacterium leprae. Int. J. Lepr. 50:370–374
PortaelsF., De RidderK., PattynS. R.1985; Cultivable mycobacteria isolated from organs of armadillos uninoculated and inoculated with Mycobacterium leprae. Ann. Microbiol. 136A:181–190
SmithJ. H. et al.1983; Leprosy in wild armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) of the Texas Gulf Coast: epidemiology and mycobacteriology. RES J. Reticuloendothel. Soc. 34:75–88